The New Level’s arrival in AEW has brought immediate attention to how Kofi and Austin Creed will settle into a different company environment, both in front of the cameras and behind them. For the duo, however, the initial answer appears clear: they have felt welcomed.
Speaking about their first experiences around the AEW locker room, Kofi and Creed described an atmosphere built around excitement, respect and the shared passion of wrestlers watching one another perform. Rather than entering a room where they felt isolated as newcomers, The New Level said they encountered familiar colleagues, performers they had long known from afar, and a group that was openly enthusiastic about having them there.
The response matters because any major arrival can create questions about how established talent and newly added names will coexist. AEW has a roster full of wrestlers who have helped shape the promotion’s identity, while Kofi and Creed come in with extensive experience, established reputations and a considerable level of fan interest. The pair said that the reception backstage helped remove the feeling that they were stepping into unfamiliar territory alone.
Kofi says AEW’s passion is evident in the ring and backstage
Kofi focused on the energy he and Creed feel while watching AEW programming, describing the experience as one that allows them to respond as fans rather than simply as fellow professionals studying the work. He said the athleticism and emotion displayed in AEW matches stand out, and that same feeling carries over once the performers are backstage.
For more background on this topic, read Austin Creed Reflects On Landmark AEW Debut Week, 40th Birthday And Trios Title Win.
“We sit there, we watch AEW matches and we’re jumping out of our seats because we feel like fans again. You know what I mean? Like we feel like they’re they’re doing things that you shouldn’t be able to do. The passion just shines through and into all the work and all the matches and then being there backstage it was the same thing. It felt like a family vibe and it felt like we fit right in with the family. Everyone was super cool, super welcoming.”
That description of a “family vibe” is a notable one for any wrestler arriving in a new promotion. The locker-room culture of a company can influence far more than introductions on a first day. It shapes how talent communicate during match preparation, how quickly new arrivals can build creative chemistry, and whether performers feel comfortable contributing their own personalities to a new environment.
Kofi’s comments also emphasized that The New Level did not approach the move with the expectation that their history should automatically earn them special treatment. Instead, he pointed to a simple personal standard: treating people well regardless of where they work or what their position may be.
“We’ve just always treated people with respect, treated people with kindness, and that’s the way that life should be. Regardless of what you do, wherever you go, you should always be kind to people.”
That outlook has been central to the public perception of both members of The New Level over the years. Their comments suggest they see mutual respect as a practical foundation for adapting to AEW, especially while developing relationships with wrestlers whose careers have followed very different paths.
Creed recalls hiding out and meeting Jack Perry
Creed gave a more detailed look at the group’s first days around AEW. He explained that The New Level arrived on a Saturday to look around and were keeping out of sight. In that setting, he recalled Jack Perry as the first person he believes he walked past.
The next day brought a fuller locker-room experience. Creed said security informed them that Claudio Castagnoli wanted to come speak with them. In retelling the moment, Creed initially referred to him by the name “Cesaro” before quickly correcting himself to Claudio, a reflection of the history and familiarity between the wrestlers.
“So, we were like in our in our own little area because we we were hiding. We got there Saturday to go and see some stuff, and I want to say I think the first person we walked by was Jack Perry. The first person that I walked by, I think. But then in the locker room, when we got there on Sunday we were told by security, ‘Cesaro wants to come and talk to you…’ or, sorry, ‘CLAUDIO wants to come and talk to you.’ I was like, yeah, yeah, we want to see him too.”
Claudio’s desire to speak with The New Level provided an early indication of the connections Kofi and Creed bring with them. A new locker room does not always mean a completely unfamiliar one. Wrestling careers frequently overlap through previous companies, independent events, training environments, travel and years spent crossing paths at major shows. Those relationships can make a significant transition feel less like starting from zero.
Creed also made clear that the experience was not limited to reconnecting with old acquaintances. He described entering a room full of wrestlers where there were people he already knew, people he had not seen in some time, and performers he had never personally met despite knowing exactly who they were.
“But it’s really cool because when we got in the room with with all the guys that are in the match, it’s like, man, this is a ton of people and I know some of them, and this is dope. Get to say hi to everybody and, you know, dap up with people I haven’t seen before. Get to shake hands with, and then meet, people that I’ve never met before, but I know who they are.”
A new start without the “new kid at school” feeling
Perhaps the clearest part of Creed’s account was his rejection of the idea that The New Level felt like outsiders on arrival. He compared the potential awkwardness of joining a new roster to being the new kid at school, then explained that AEW’s reaction made that concern disappear.
“So it just doesn’t it doesn’t seem like the new kid at school mentality as far as like, oh, I don’t know anybody or nobody wants to talk to me. Everybody was so pumped that we were there. And there’s something about that feeling of knowing you’re wanted, knowing people are excited that you’re there and being able to to bring that type of energy to the room. It’s awesome.”
For performers of The New Level’s profile, that sense of being wanted can be important on multiple levels. A high-profile addition to any roster naturally draws attention from fans, raises expectations for first matches and programs, and places new performers into an ecosystem that already has established alliances and rivalries. A positive backstage response does not determine every future creative decision, but it can provide a strong platform for the work that follows.
The New Level’s remarks also portray a roster environment where enthusiasm is reciprocal. Kofi described being energized by AEW matches and by the passion of the wrestlers producing them. Creed, meanwhile, said the room was energized by The New Level’s own arrival. That two-way excitement is an encouraging sign as they continue to establish their presence in the promotion.
Respect and connection set the early tone
Neither Kofi nor Creed offered sweeping predictions about their AEW future, and their comments were centered instead on the immediate human side of the transition. They spoke about watching matches, greeting colleagues, reconnecting with Claudio, encountering Jack Perry, and meeting wrestlers they knew by reputation but had not yet met personally.
Those details paint a picture of an adjustment period that has begun on positive terms. The New Level have found faces from their past, new colleagues to learn from and a locker room they believe has made space for them. Their message was not about entitlement or status. It was about being treated warmly and responding with the same respect.
As The New Level’s AEW run develops, the in-ring results and storylines will ultimately define the public chapter of their time with the company. But the first backstage impressions described by Kofi and Creed suggest that the transition has started with the kind of camaraderie wrestlers hope to find: a passionate room, an open welcome and the feeling that they are joining a family rather than simply entering a new workplace.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.